


Royals

by imagineuphoria (DarkFlash)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Kidnapping, M/M, Modern AU, Modern Royalty AU, Multi, Princes & Princesses, Violence, kingdom au, prince AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 12:55:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17224454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkFlash/pseuds/imagineuphoria
Summary: When a member of the Yoon royal family is kidnapped days before their first meeting with the newly crowned king of the Wolgwang Kingdom, Kim Mingyu, it seems like the arrangements for a would-be alliance will have to be delayed until everything is sorted out.The only problem is that doing so may lead to more complications not only for the two families, but also for the people they rule over.That's when Jeon Wonwoo comes in.





	1. Chapter 1

 

When a member of the royal family Yoon is kidnapped days before their first meeting with the newly crowned king of the Wolgwang Kingdom, Kim Mingyu, it seems like the arrangements for a would-be alliance will have to be delayed until everything is sorted out.

 

The only problem is that doing so may lead to more complications not only for the two families, but also for the people they rule over.

 

That's when Jeon Wonwoo comes in.

 

♔ ♚♔ ♚

 

mingyu + wonwoo  
jeonghan + seungcheol  
junhui + minghao   
soonyoung + jihoon  
vernon + seungkwan  
ft. chan, seokmin & jisoo

 

©️ **imagineuphoria 2018**


	2. ♔ o n e ♚

"You're up early."

Jeonghan had been alternately staring at the ceiling and around their bedroom since he'd woken at the break of dawn. He didn't feel like starting the day early, but he couldn't go back to sleep either.

"Too excited?" His husband, Seungcheol, stretched both arms over his head, the duvet sliding down to reveal a toned chest. He turned to face Jeonghan who gave him a blinding smile. "He's coming back today, Cheollie. Of course I'm excited."

"Junhui's not coming back until after lunch," Seungcheol reminded as he threw an arm over his husband's waist, pulling him closer to Seungcheol's chest. "You should get more sleep."

"Yesterday you were just telling me that I should change my sleeping habits because apparently," He poked Seungcheol's nose, making the male grin. "Sleeping in until midday isn't acceptable."

"And I stand by that. But we cleared the whole day's schedule to welcome back your brother. We can have a few more hours of sleep." Seungcheol placed a gentle kiss on Jeonghan's shoulder. Jeonghan only laughed at that.

"You know what we should do?" Jeonghan asked after a minute or two passed by in silence.

"Sleep?" Seungcheol grumbled, half-awake.

"We should bake a cake. Jun loves sweets. It could be our welcoming present for him."

Seungcheol's eyes shot open at that, suddenly alert. "Jeonghan, the last time you set foot in the kitchen to make me something you managed to burn soup."

"Hey, it was an accident!"

" _Soup_ , Hannie. Who manages to  _burn_  soup?"

"Fine, we won't bake the cake," Jeonghan huffed like a petulant child. "We should at least get him one, though. I'm sure he'd love it."

"Alright, fine. Later," Seungcheol mumbled, scooting even closer to Jeonghan's side. "Right now I'm trying to go back to sleep. You're distracting me."

"You're cute in the morning," Jeonghan brushed away the brown fringe covering his husband's forehead. "You should always be sleepy, that way you're always this cute."

Seungcheol just smirked, eyes still closed as he kissed Jeonghan's shoulder once more and started rubbing circles near Jeonghan's hipbone. For a moment, Jeonghan was content with staying that way, slowly being lured back to slumber by Seungcheol's breathing and his gentle touches.

The moment was broken when Jisoo pounded on the door three times. "I hope you both are decent. I'm opening this door either way."

Seungcheol sighed through his nose. He peeled his eyes open, pouting. "Just when I thought I've gotten used to your family."

Jeonghan resisted the urge to laugh. "Imagine when Jun gets here." He didn't have time to poke fun at Seungcheol's scared expression because Jisoo, just like he said, decided to burst through the door. He was washed and ready for the day, wearing slacks and a simple peach-colored dress shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who woke up early," Jeonghan said. Seungcheol groaned as he rolled to his back, rubbing his eyes. Jisoo only smiled at the two, making his way to the window and pushing the curtains open.

Jeonghan was blinded by the sunlight. "Jisoo-yah! You little-"

"Time to get up!" Jisoo ignored his hyung's protests, clapping his hands together. "Lots of things to do, lots of preparations to go over until our dear maknae gets here. Breakfast will be served in fifteen minutes. I suggest you get ready, Your  _Majesties._ " He gave a slight bow, which both Jeonghan and Seungcheol knew was more mocking than anything, before he promptly left the room.

"People think he's such an angel," Jeonghan muttered as he moved to sit up. "He's evil, Cheollie. Pure evil."

"People say the same thing about you."

Seungcheol let out a surprised yelp when he was suddenly flicked on the forehead.

* * *

They've been waiting outside the castle for over ten minutes now. "Where is he?" Jeonghan asked, not for the first time. The sun was shining a little too proudly, making Jeonghan's patience grow thinner even with Seungcheol holding an umbrella over their heads. It was a humid day, too. He had resorted to tie his shoulder-length hair into a low ponytail.

"He'll be here soon, hyung." Jisoo focused on the cobblestone pathway as if he was afraid to miss the car that would bring their brother back.

"Are you sure? What if they broke down somewhere?"

"Hannie," Seungcheol placed an arm over Jeonghan's shoulder, squeezing gently. "He'll be here soon."

Jeonghan pursed his lips, deciding to keep quiet. Thankfully, the navy blue car they've been waiting for suddenly pulled up to the front gates. Jeonghan instinctively grabbed Jisoo's hand and his husband's side. They could see the driver roll down their window, and after a brief exchange of words, the gates were opened.

"He's here." Jeonghan could barely keep calm. Jisoo was no better. "He is."

As the car made its way to the front of the castle, Seungcheol took this time to remind the two brothers, "Okay, he's probably exhausted from traveling since dawn. When he gets down, don't suffocate—" Neither of the two were paying attention, both royals immediately bolting to the car even before it came to a full stop.

"—him." Seungcheol continued uselessly, sighing. Though he couldn't help but smile when the youngest of the three got out of the car and ran to his siblings' arms, all three of them shouting and jumping in joy.

"My king," One of the three butlers who had stood waiting with them outside called his attention. "Should we help the young prince with his bags now?"

Seungcheol watched as Jun was smothered between his brothers, a big smile present on his face. A face Seungcheol hadn't seen in a long time.

"Let them have their moment," Seungcheol said all too fondly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it's a pretty brief intro to the story. Yes, Jeongcheol are kings and the most domestic husbands. And yes, Jeonghan has long hair in this because I'm a sucker for long-haired Jeonghan. It's my first time writing a Seventeen fic, this concept came into my head and I liked it a lot.
> 
> All other members will appear soon in other chapters.
> 
> Updates are random. Whenever I can, I try to update. You can check out my other stories if you'd like. Thank you! :-) x


	3. ♔ t w o ♚

Junhui knew what he would go home to even before he stepped into the car, the Ilgwang Kingdom's crest unmistakable as it was on the hood of the vehicle. Getting up early was one of the things he hated doing, especially when the sun hasn't even risen yet.

It was worth it once he was finally with his brothers. Nearly four months have passed since their last visit at his school.

"Jun, you look so strong! It's like you've gotten taller since we last saw you." Jisoo said after their little celebration of hugs and cheers. Both Junhui's hyungs were positively beaming at him, Jeonghan unable to let go of the youngest's hand.

"You two look the same, which is great." Junhui hated being away, hated missing out on things his family did or experienced. He's glad he'll be able to finally spend time with them and move back in.

Junhui spotted Seungcheol making his way down the stairs that lead to the entrance of the palace. The newly arrived prince gave a deep bow once Seungcheol was a few feet away. "Hello, hyung. It's nice to see you again."

"What's up with the sudden formality?" Seungcheol raised an eyesbrow teasingly before he opened his arms. Junhui smiled, going in for a hug.

"Wait a couple of days, all that politeness is going to disappear." Jisoo was smirking when Junhui turned around to glare at him. Seungcheol only laughed. "It's alright, Jun. I've gotten used to being around your brothers. I don't think you'll be any worse than they are."

"Hey!"

"I'm your loving husband, you idiot!"

Junhui only nodded, giving both Jeonghan and Jisoo a pat on the shoulder while talking to Seungcheol. "I hope they weren't too bad while I was gone, though. I can imagine how hard it must have been taking care of a country and these two."

" _Ya!_  We're still older than you." Jeonghan poked Junhui on the side making the younger one laugh and step away. "We haven't seen you in months and you're already treating us like this?"

"Why don't we all just go inside and have our late lunch?" Seungcheol gestured towards three figures wearing uniforms with the Ilgwang crest on their blazer. "Please take Prince Junhui's bags to his room."

"I haven't been called Prince Junhui in so long. It sounds weird to me now," Junhui said as he was pulled inside. Nothing inside the castle changed either. Aside from a few hanged paintings or patterned carpets, the whole place was still pretty much the same with big chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a classic style coupled with vintage-looking furniture and design.

"We asked the chef to make your favorites. We knew you didn't get the chance to have them in your school," Jeonghan explained, an arm linked with Seungcheol. Jisoo did the same with Junhui, the two snickering quietly as the two kings walked in front of them. "I also requested the kitchen staff to make you a cake. After eating, we can enjoy some time in the gardens or take a swim in the pool. Summer is coming too fast, I swear."

"Thank you, hyung," Junhui said. "You and Seungcheol hyung still look like you both belong in a winter exhibit, though." While Jisoo had more of a tan now and Junhui was born with naturally light brown skin, the two kings looked ghostly compared to them. Jeonghan didn't bother looking back as he said, "It's alright, my beloved Jun. We were going for the powdered donut look anyway." Seungcheol's shoulders shook as he laughed.

Jeonghan wasn't lying when he said they prepared all Junhui's favorite dishes. His mouth watered as various maids and butlers served dishes like chicken, dim sums, stir-fried noodles, even a roasted duck. The royal family said grace before they all dug in.

It was great to be back.

"Jun-ah," Seungcheol called from the head of the table. They were in the family's private dining room, so the table only had about six chairs. The dining room for events with guests could easily hold about twenty people. "How was the past few months in your school?"

Junhui proceeded to tell them about how much he loved his classes because his professor preferred to give them a hands-on experience rather than studying in their classroom. He talked about the types of remedies or medicines he was able to make just with the ingredients the forests around them provided. "There were only about six of us who graduated this year. The professor says he's going to retire soon, he told me beforehand that he has a son that he'd love to spend more time with."

"I heard about your professor, Yongmin-nim was it? Yes, he's known to be the best there is," Seungcheol replied as he kindly said no to his husband who tried feeding him a scoop of the dessert served. "It's good that you got to learn from him before he retired."

"I am too. He says I could become a great herbalist now."

"It's been your dream since you were a kid. I'm glad you'll get to fulfill it." Jisoo smiled proudly at his dongsaeng, it made Junhui's heart swell. He was blessed with the most supportive brothers who never wished for him to be anything other than what he dreamed and decided for himself.

"We can formally introduce you to the public now, too. You've been gone at that school for almost ten years. They could finally start getting to know their  _young prince._ "Jeonghan gave emphasis to the last two words. Junhui laughed, aware of what everyone who didn't know him personally referred to him as. He hadn't even used his real name during his time of being a student.

"We're planning on doing that once all of us arrive at Wolgwang Kingdom," Jisoo said.

Now  _that_  was new. "We're heading to Wolgwang?" Junhui asked.

"We've been planning this for months," Seungcheol explained. "We got in touch with their Representative of Foreign Affairs recently. Apparently, King Kim Mingyu is all for an alliance."

"That's great!" Junhui had learned about the two kingdoms' history with one another ever since he was a child, it had been part of his lessons. "What sparked this idea?"

Jeonghan placed his fork down, smile gone. "It's not the best reason. Seungcheol and I had been getting reports for a while now, about people originally from Wolgwang living here in Ilgwang being harassed or threatened. There was a man who got into a fight because he was being discriminated against having been born in Wolgwang and then moving here. He died because of his wounds."

"There have been riots in the larger cities," Jisoo added. "Protests about banning Wolgwang citizens to step foot in Ilgwang. They believe the Wolgwang people to be bad luck because of what happened to our parents, and our grandparents."

Junhui was quickly reminded of how nasty the world could be. In the mountains where his school was located, everyone around him had been kind. They all enjoyed the peace of being away from most of the population. Whenever his brothers came to visit him they would always have grins on their faces before proceeding to joke around.

"Those were both accidents," Junhui never liked talking about his parents ever since the day of the plane crash. His mother and father have been gone for three years now and it still left a heavy pain his chest whenever he thought about it. "The timing of the events couldn't have been controlled by anyone."

"Our people seem to think differently. There were always problems like this when it came to both countries, but it only got worse over time. We decided to call for an alliance just to prove to those people who think and do such things wrong, and hopefully inspire people to stop all this nonsense." Seungcheol, who had a relaxed demeanor just a moment ago, now had his lips in a straight line, shoulders tense and eyebrows knitting together.

"The representative we spoke to, Boo Seungkwan, he told us they were facing similar situations and wishes to stop it like we do. King Mingyu thinks we'd make a valuable partner as well," Jeonghan said, placing a comforting hand on Seungcheol's wrist.

Junhui saw no problem with it. In fact, he was sure only good things would come from the arrangement. "When do we leave?"

"A week from now," Jisoo replied. "We told Seungkwan he could fly in a day before our departure. He was kind enough to offer to help us with everything."

"Anything  _I_  can help with?"

Jeonghan looked touched. "You're so sweet, Jun-ah. We've got everything planned already, you don't have to worry."

The family spent the entire afternoon by the pool, simply content with catching up and bonding after being apart from the youngest for far too long. It was also a relief for the two kings to have a day where they could relax.

They decided to head in and wash up just as the sun was about to set. After Junhui had changed into a pair of dark jeans and one of his favorite sweaters, he thought about strolling more of the castle. His room was on the third floor and he managed to make his way to the first floor with only a few wrong turns in certain hallways. There was a part of the castle where paintings of past rulers were hung in large frames. He had been taught about each king and queen since the day he could read, maybe even before that.

Junhui passed by their grandparents, King Yoon Jiwong standing tall beside the seated Queen Yoon Faehwa. He stopped at the one of his parents, the last of the paintings. His brother and Seungcheol hadn't gotten around to having theirs made yet.

"I knew you'd be here." Jeonghan's voice broke the silence.

Junhui smiled at his hyung before staring back at the portrait. Their father, King Yoon Jaehyung, always looked intimidating, his face made of rough edges with eyes that made him seem like he was permanently scowling at something. Their mother, Queen Yoon Seoyeon, was quite the opposite. Even in the painting you could see her signature gentle smile, eyes rounded and face soft-looking. Junhui and his brothers came to look like a combination of both parents.

"You think appa would've been mad if you had decided to go through with your initial idea to take Seungcheol hyung's surname?"

"Our appa? I think so. He would've insisted that the Yoon name continue until the very last of us perished." Jeonghan chuckled, standing beside Junhui. "Eomma wouldn't have cared, as long as we gave her grandchildren."

"Children, huh?" Junhui smirked. Jeonghan rolled his eyes. "Don't get any ideas. Maybe in a few years we would decide. I still believe Cheol and I are far too busy. He, on the other hand.." Jeonghan trailed off. It made Junhui laugh.

"He wants to have your babies already?"

"Junhui, is that how a prince should talk?" Jeonghan crossed his arms, jokingly glaring. His eyes then focused on Junhui's clothes. "Is that how a prince should dress?" His outfit was a striking contradiction to Jeonghan's.

"About that. I was going to ask you something."

"Something about a wardrobe change, hopefully." Jeonghan was very open about his distastes. Junhui had learned to deal with it. "No, hyung. I want to go visit that night market nearby."

Jeonghan raised an eyebrow. "Why? We could ask someone to go out and fetch whatever it is you need. It's already late, Jun-ah."

"I'm not looking for anything, I just want to explore. Nobody's seen me since I was a kid, it'll be impossible for someone to recognize me since they don't even know my name. It'll be my last experience being somewhere where they don't make a big fuss because I'm a prince. Please, hyung?" Junhui started pouting, clasping his hands together in front of him.

Jeonghan looked skeptical still. "I don't know. What if—"

"You worry too much, hyung," Junhui said. "Here, will it make you feel better if I took a guard with me?"

"Yes, it very much would." Jeonghan pursed his lips before letting out a sigh. "Alright, you can go. Just tell Jisoo before you leave."

"Love you, Jeonghannie hyung!" Junhui gave him a tight hug before running off.

Jeonghan watched him go, nearly jumping when Seungcheol called him from the other end of the hallway. "You have such a soft spot for your brothers."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you do," Seungcheol tucked back a strand of Jeonghan's hair, placing an arm around the man before they started walking together. "Yesterday at the meeting you snapped at anyone who tried to show even the slightest hint of defiance against the alliance. Your brothers annoy you all the time, yet I don't think you were ever able to say no to them."

"That's because they keep pestering me until I agree." Jeonghan was nothing if not stubborn. "And besides, those court members of yours are just a bunch of racist pieces of—"

"They're just trying to look at every possible outcome." Seungcheol gave his husband a kiss on the side of his head. "Junhui is right, you worry too much."

"It's a good thing I do. Who knows what would've happened to you by now if you only listened to those old fu—"

"Jeonghan," Seungcheol was openly laughing now. "Language."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Other members will appear on the next chapter! The rest of them will appear shortly after.


	4. ♔ t h r e e ♚

Mingyu didn't like exerting his power as king. Whenever he met new people, he would respectfully bow back and wouldn't mention his higher position if he could help it. If there were individuals who seemed to forget that they were talking to their king just because of his kindness and nonchalance, he had people around him to remind them otherwise.

But right now, Mingyu wished his title could be considered a bit more. Specifically by his step-brother, Soonyoung.

" _Mingyu,"_ The older of the two dragged out Mingyu's name while shaking the king's left arm. Mingyu only huffed as Soonyoung continued to bug him. "Mingyu, please?"

"Soonyoung hyung, we'll have to be on our best behavior—"

"I will be! But who says I can't be the picture of both elegance  _and_  swag?"

Mingyu facepalmed.

"No, hyung," He tried once more. "We can just hire people to perform for eomma's birthday. You'll need to help me in making the guests feel welcomed."

"As if food and drinks worth thousands of dollars in a ballroom decked out in elaborate designs won't make them feel welcome." Soonyoung promptly let go of Mingyu's arm, gesturing around said ballroom. Mingyu glanced at the blue and white themed decorum, frowning. "You think it's too much?"

"Don't be silly, Gyu. You actually did a great job." Soonyoung gave him a genuine grin, eyes disappearing into lines while doing so. His expression then quickly changed into a pleading look. "Please, can I perform? Even if it's only one song? I promise it'll be good!"

Mingyu is just about to tell his hyung to leave him be when Seokmin entered through the double doors, usual bright smile etched on his face. He spotted Mingyu and Soonyoung immediately. "Your Majesty, I've been sent by your court members."

"Seokmin-ssi. I've already said that you can just call me by my name when it's only the three of us." Mingyu frowned.

It was always weird to see Seokmin be anything but happy. Pouting Seokmin was not a common sight, but it wasn't a rare one either. "Yes, but a few of the senior members told me it was quite disrespectful to address you without  _Your Majesty_  or  _King_."

"Don't mind them, Seokmin. They're just jealous that you're close to the beanpole over here." Soonyoung gave him a reassuring smile. Mingyu was the tallest of the three while Seokmin stood only a few inches over Soonyoung.

Mingyu nodded in agreement, ignoring the last part of his step-brother's sentence before turning to Seokmin. "What did the court members want?"

"It's regarding the Ilgwang-Wolgwang alliance. They request for a final meeting before the royal family Yoon arrives in a few days. I heard that Seungkwan is almost done with the arrangements and wishes to talk with you after."

"They're ready for the meeting to be held at this very moment?"

Seokmin nodded. Mingyu fixed the blazer he had on over his white turtle neck before replying, "Alright then." He turned to Soonyoung. "I'll make a deal with you, hyung."

"I was hoping you'd say that."

Mingyu resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "If you can handle the rest of the party plans today, I will consider letting you perform for eomma's birthday."

Soonyoung looked absolutely delighted, Seokmin's expression almost identical to the prince's because of his eyes that turned to crescents whenever he grinned. "Soonyoung hyung, you're performing for her Highness' birthday?"

"Yes!" "I said I would  _consider_ _—_ "

"That's great! I'm so excited!" Seokmin wrapped his arms around Soonyoung, both of them jumping while cheering and inevitably catching the gazes of the staff still setting up around the room. Mingyu's eyes found the ceiling, wondering why he was cursed this way.

While the two still bounced with excitement, Mingyu let out a sigh and decided to drag Seokmin away. "Come on,  _royal advisor_ , we have a meeting to go to."

"Bye, Soonyoung hyung! Can't wait for your performance!" Seokmin and Soonyoung waved excitedly at each other before the older of the crazy duo looked back at Mingyu. "Don't worry, Gyu. I'll handle everything."

"You better, or else all of Jihoon's royal lessons for you would have been for nothing." Mingyu turned around before he could see the expression on Soonyoung's face.

"He  _is_  a great performer, you know," Seokmin said once they were on their way to the conference room. "I've seen him dance, he's amazing. Jihoon says Soonyoung sings all the time too."

Mingyu is aware of all that. "I know. It's just—he's already criticized a lot for being born as a non-royal. His mother had only been married to my father for nine years before he died. I'm afraid someone will completely ruin his self-confidence and all the progress he's made if he does what he loves doing the most in front of all the guests and be met by people who won't hesitate to make him feel bad just because of where he and eomma are from."

Seokmin is quiet for a moment, processing Mingyu's words. "Soonyoung doesn't really care about what other people think of him. He never did. He adjusted fairly quickly to being in the spotlight and being the topic of a lot of rumors. Your step-brother's not naive either, not after the things he's been through. I'm sure he knows there's a possibility people wouldn't appreciate his talents, but he still seems excited anyway."

"I'm sure eomma would appreciate it too," Mingyu added dejectedly, the reasons he shouldn't let Soonyoung perform becoming less and less. Seokmin looked proud. "Exactly. It's her birthday party, isn't it?"

They arrived at the front of the conference room and Seokmin opened the door for Mingyu. The conversations inside halted once Mingyu entered. They all bowed deeply, greeting him.

"Good morning," Mingyu said. "I'm sorry for making you all wait. You may take your seats." He heard the sound of chairs being scraped back as he sat on his own.

The conference room had twenty-four wooden chairs and desks forming a somewhat concave shape on opposite sides of the room. At the head of the room was Mingyu's place. It was higher than the rest of the seats, having three steps that lead to his chair. Beside it was another chair, similar to Mingyu's except it was at the same level as everyone's. Seokmin settled onto his reserved space beside the king.

"I'm sure you all have concerns about the upcoming arrival of our guests from the Ilgwang Kingdom." Mingyu didn't need a microphone, he spent years training for his voice to project all around the room. "Please raise your hand if you wish to speak."

A senior member, Tae Sangjin, raised his hand immediately. Mingyu nodded for him to continue. "Your Majesty, the launching of this alliance will commence in a few days, but Seokmin has informed us that before this meeting you were busying yourself in.. party arrangements." Mingyu could see the disgust on the older's face even though he tried his best to hide it. "I just want to remind you of the great deal this historical decision will hold."

Sangjin was the worst of his court members. Not because he was incapable, in fact the pasty man had served in Mingyu's father's court for more than a decade before Mingyu had to take over the throne. No, it was because he looked down on Mingyu and his ability to rule.

"Thank you for the reminder, Sangjin-nim," Mingyu replied in a leveled tone. "Yes, it's true. I was held up in arranging my mother's birthday celebration which will happen two days from now."

"But, your Majesty, you could have party planners to do that for you," Said another senior member, Shin Sumiko, a petite woman with glasses that looked too big on her face. "Why handle the arrangements yourself when there are more important matters at hand?"

As members of the King's Court, it was their job to ask questions about Mingyu's decision and to offer their own suggestions and ideas besides handling different political matters as well. Mingyu had always thought that it was just some of the members' way of criticizing his every move. It was no secret that most of the seniors had little fate in his abilities.

Mingyu remained composed, a smile present on his face. "Yes, my advisor had also voiced the same opinion weeks ago." Mingyu met eyes with Seokmin who looked indifferent, as expected. During court meetings, Seokmin was like a completely different person. "However, I still decided to oversea the planning. If I may be frank, I know a lot of you are concerned about this alliance and I understand. I, myself, feel very nervous. However, I'm not planning parties as some sort of distraction. This celebration will have hundreds of important attendees, and with the word of our planned alliance with the neighboring kingdom spreading, I intend for everything about the coming event to be perfect so that I may be able to convince most guests—if not all—to jump on board with the idea and to take action in ensuring that this partnership succeeds not just for a while, but for all the years ahead."

The silence stretched across the room, the two senior members looking down in embarrassment. Mingyu tried not to look too pleased at that. He continued on, "Any other concerns?"

* * *

 "You are too much like your father," His step-mother said as they strolled through the gardens that afternoon. She was dressed in a matching jacket and pencil skirt set, greying hair tied into an intricate bun. Her hand was holding onto Mingyu's arm lightly. "Seokmin told me all about that speech you said at the start of the court meeting. You fight back in your own way, and you do it so subtly." His mother seemed happy about that.

Mingyu grinned, placing his hand over hers. "I was just stating the truth."

"You waited until they made a fool of themselves to do so."

He didn't deny it, simply shrugging. They enjoyed the peace and quiet for a moment, hearing the sound of water from the fountains as well as the chirping of birds in the background. The bushes of flowers filled their nostrils with different smells, subtle yet absolutely fragrant.

"Have I mentioned that I was your age when I first met your father?"

Mingyu knew where the conversation was headed, but he decided to entertain his step-mother. "Yes, you've mentioned it to me. What was he like back then?"

"Stubborn." She laughed. "Handsome, but a huge pain. That was when he was young, though. From the moment he saw me at that tailor store, he tried to pursue me. Of course you know we didn't get married until after I divorced my first husband. But before that, I never believed I could find love again."

"Yet, you did." Mingyu said, smiling.

"You could find love too."

_And there it is._

"Eomma, it's too much of a beautiful day to be talking about this."

"I'm just saying," His mother barreled on. Mingyu made no attempt to cut her off. Once she got started about Mingyu's  _love life_  it was hard to stop her. "I thought I was content about being alone for the rest of my life. I mean, I had your step-brother, so I convinced myself I was set. But we're all human, Mingyu. We all get lonely."

"So far, I think I'm doing alright."

His mother made a  _tsk_  sound. "You say that now, but running a kingdom is hard. You're going to need to share some of your burdens with someone, someone who is willing to stick by you through the tough times and not just the happy moments."

"I'm alright, eomma," Mingyu tried to convince his step-mother. "I have you and Soonyoung, and I have my friends. If I meet the right person someday, then I won't oppose to marrying them. But for now, I don't see myself actively pursuing someone."

"See? Stubborn."

"Eomma!" Mingyu laughed. She sighed but kept quiet. They continued their stroll, Mingyu sensing that it still wouldn't be the end of their conversation.

And he was right.

"You know, the best way to secure an alliance is through marriage."

"I'm regretting coming out here in the first place."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you spot the tiny soonhoon mention?
> 
> Junhao's meeting up in the next chapter, ft. surprise character.


	5. ♔ f o u r ♚

Junhui woke up with a raging headache and no idea as to where he was.

He remembered the night market being busy, people transferring from one stall to another as vendors called for the attention of potential buyers. Junhui was accompanied by Dongjin, one of the newly hired guards. The prince had requested that Dongjin change into a more casual attire as Junhui himself might not attract attention, but a man wearing a castle guard uniform would raise suspicion.

Everything had been fine for the most part. He had enjoyed tasting free samples of the different food offered and chatting with random strangers who all had many stories to tell, he even stopped by to play with some kids as they tried to see who could make their paper plane fly the longest distance. Junhui remembered how many people there were and how noisy the place had been, but he was more than happy to be there. It really did feel like home.

Everything went downhill as soon as Junhui had been on his way back to the castle.

Since it had been later in the evening, the streets were quite empty. Junhui had been so engrossed in taking up his surroundings after years of not being there that he hadn't realized Dongjin was reaching for something in his pocket.

The castle guard had suddenly pounced on him, forcing Junhui into a headlock and placing some sort of cloth over his mouth and nose.

Of course the prince's instincts had kicked in, he had thrashed in the man's grip and told himself not to inhale. But his body could only hold off for so long until he needed to breathe.

Everything had become blurry, the world spinning around him. The prince had fainted shortly after.

Now, as his vision started clearing, he realized he was in some type of bedroom. It was very small and looked barely used, except for the fact that there were sheets and pillowcases on the single-person bed. There was mold growing on the corners of every wall, and the sunlight that streamed through the window revealed the dust particles floating around.

Junhui was so out of it that he didn't realize someone had been watching him.

"Rise and shine." It was Dongjin who stood by the door. He looked completely different, his dark hair which had been neatly slicked back now fell messily over his forehead. The sleeveless shirt Dongjin wore revealed multiple tattoos that were previously hidden under the sweater he wore yesterday. Junhui's eyes focused on one tattoo in particular, a red snake on Donjin's left upper-arm, the design of it more detailed than the rest.

"Where am I?" Junhui's throat hurt, and his head was pounding along with his heart. The realization that he had just been kidnapped by one of his own people was slowly sinking in. "Where did you take me?"

"You don't need to worry about that. We won't be staying here for long." Dongjin gestured to the desk just beside him where a sandwich wrapped tightly in plastic along with a bottle of water were placed. "Eat, Junhui."

Despite Junhui's absolute terror of being stuck in a room with a potentially dangerous man, he forced his voice to come out as commanding as it could when he said, "Take me back. I am your prince _,_  I  _order_   _you_ to take me back."

His effort was awarded with a mere smirk from his kidnapper. Dongjin stepped closer, deliberately showing the gun he had strapped to his belt. Junhui backed away as much as he could while still on the floor, swallowing down the vomit that was finding its way up. "I'm sorry,  _Prince_  Junhui, I'm afraid I'm only following orders. I suggest you eat, or starve. I couldn't care less." Dongjin opened the door and with that, he was gone, lock clicking into place.

The young prince stared at the white paint of the door for a moment too long, not knowing what else to do as tears threatened to spill from his eyes. He wanted to bang against the door, scream and demand that Dongjin let him go. But the man was armed, and Junhui really did not want to risk getting shot.

Although the longer he stayed put, the bigger the chance of him being murdered seemed to be.

Junhui closed his eyes. After a few deep breaths and the words:  _Stay calm, stay calm. You can find a way out,_ replayingin his head, he wiped away the tears before standing on shaky legs. He downed the bottle of water, the cool liquid helping him focus. Deciding against the sandwich, he examined every square inch of the room.

There was a connecting bathroom, but the window was too small. The window in the actual room was locked shut, and to Junhui's utter disappointment, it looked like he was stuck in some sort of building and was way high up from the ground.

If he somehow managed to jump through the window, he'd be jumping to his early death.

"Think, Jun." He muttered to himself.

Just then, boisterous laughter sounded somewhere outside the room. Junhui pressed his ear against the door, listening to the sound of loud voices talking over one another.

Dongjin was not alone. Junhui was taken by some sort of group. That knowledge caused cold fear to travel up his spine, palms sweating and heartbeat increasing once again.

He was so fucked.

* * *

"Another round for this table!" A man bellowed above the already noisy bar, knocking his empty glass down a couple of times to catch the waiter's attention, even going so far as to whistle.

Minghao tried not to scowl at the obnoxious customer.

"You seem to be in a good mood," Samuel teased as he passed over the bottles of beer. Minghao rolled his eyes, placing the six ice-cold bottles on his tray.

"I don't particularly care for customers who feel the need to whistle at me like I'm sort of dog."

"Yeah, I understand," Samuel nodded solemnly. "It's 'cause you're more like a cat, right?"

"Ha, ha."

Samuel stuck out his tongue, shooing him away. Minghao lifted the tray above his head to avoid hitting the people moving around the dance floor. Some of the customers were actually dancing along to the beat, others were simply talking with drinks in their hands. A few were hiding in the corners doing things beyond simply  _talking_.

"Another round," Minghao said as he arrived at the table, setting down the open bottles for the four people seated at the booth. He could feel the only woman there staring at him. The music playing was some sort of bass-heavy song that Minghao personally disliked. It was loud, but it wasn't loud enough to drown out the woman's voice. "You're quite a looker, aren't you?"

Minghao smiled at the dark-skinned girl, her curly hair tied into a neat bun with fallen strands framing her face. "If you say so."

"Pretty voice, too." She grinned. "Shame, I'm on a date right now."

"Good thing you remembered," One of the men piped in, his hand going around the woman's shoulder before he eyed Minghao up and down.

"Calm down, babe. He's just really cute." She continued to stare at Minghao.

Deciding that he did  _not_  want to cause any trouble tonight, Minghao excused himself and slipped between the sea of people before heading back to Samuel behind the bar counter. "Alright there, Minghao-ssi?" Samuel asked.

"Yeah, fine. Just feeling a bit tired. And sweaty." Minghao wiped at the sweat that had formed on his forehead. The whole bar was air-conditioned, but the amount of people stuffed into one space made it harder for the cool air to reach Minghao.

Samuel neatly rolled up the sleeves of his white button-up shirt before grabbing a rag. "We're running short on staff tonight. I usually get Hae-hae to do deliveries, but he and his wife are celebrating their tenth anniversary."

"Good for Hae-hae," Minghao mumbled, already knowing what Samuel would ask from him. "You need me to do deliveries?"

"Just one." Samuel smiled sheepishly. He handed Minghao a piece of paper. "The address is not far from here, and the order is just a couple of bottles and sides. You can just walk the way there. You know, take a breather."

After taking the delivery bag and throwing on his leather jacket, Minghao made his way down one of the busiest streets in the city, lampposts and signs from different businesses and stores lighting up the night as the air filled with the sounds of traffic, footsteps on puddles, and idle chatter. It rained a while ago, leaving the pavement a darker hue with a prominent smell of earth and dirt.

The building on the address was an old apartment complex located on a more empty street, the only thing relatively near it was a laundry shop a few blocks down and a 24-hour convenience store. It looked sketchy, but nevertheless, Minghao buzzed for the eighth floor.

 _"Yeah?"_  A gruff voice answered.

"Delivery for Lay Dongjin?"

_"Mhm, come on up."_

The elevator was working, thankfully. Minghao was not in the mood to walk all the way to the eighth floor. He ran a hand through his already overgrown hair, attempting to fix his appearance before the elevator door pinged open.

It was quiet down the empty corridor. At least, Minghao thought it was empty, until he turned a corner and found himself slowing down as a pair of men with heavy boots were walking several feet in front of him, both speaking in low voices.

It was hard to make out what they were talking about, Minghao could only understand a few of their sentences while making sure his steps were as featherlight as possible.

"—think they'd be knocking down the entrance by now—"

"—move him soon. I doubt his family's going to just sit around—"

"Boss said he'll be here by dawn—"

Minghao's pace came to a halt, watching as they entered the door on the end of the hallway, which just so happened to be where the delivery was supposed to go.

Something about those two and their odd conversation didn't sit well with Minghao.

He looked around him. There were no security cameras, which wasn't surprising for an apartment complex this old. He debated just leaving that Dongjin guy's order by the doorstep and leaving.

Frankly, it looked like the best decision at the moment.

* * *

Junhui was roused awake by a loud alarm.

He sat up from the rickety bed, blinking a couple of times. It was now dark out, there were no more sun rays coming through the window to light up the room.

There was ruckus outside followed by shouting.

The door swung open. Junhui stood abruptly, getting slightly lightheaded from the action. The light from the hallway helped him make out Dongjin's figure along with another person, a shorter man who was just as built and looked pissed. The two were arguing about something.

"I don't understand why we need to go down at all!" The man beside Dongjin said. "People might get suspicious, and who knows if there's even an actual fire."

"That's why we need to evacuate; play along. Fire department's going to be here soon, they're going to check the building and if they see us here staying inside they're obviously going to get suspicious, asshole." Dongjin pushed the man away. "Grab everyone and head out, it's better if we don't all go down together. Just wait for us outside."

The man huffed out an annoyed breath before turning around and walking away. Dongjin eyed Junhui. Out of nowhere, he held his gun up with one arm, aiming at the prince.

Junhui's eyes widened, his legs feeling weak beneath him as he thought that he might actually die tonight.

"Listen up,  _prince_. You're not going to do anything stupid when we get down, understand? I don't care what the boss says, I will not hesitate to shoot you. If you try to escape, you'll only buy yourself a moment's joy before my men and I either catch you or shoot you. You better hope it's the second one because if we  _do_  catch you, you're not going to like what happens after."

Junhui couldn't make a sound.

Dongjin came closer and took Junhui's arm in a death grip, pushing him out of the room. The apartment was a mess with chairs haphazardly moved aside and ashtrays as well as glasses on every surface possible.

Everybody living in the building had most probably evacuated by now, so Junhui didn't expect to see anyone else in the hallway. Dongjin brought him to the fire exit, pushing him forward.

They make it down three flights of stairs before they come across a man laying down on one of the landings, his back facing them. He looked to be asleep, and even though Dongjin already stunk of alcohol, this guy smelled worse.

"Fucking drunk, homeless shits," Dongjin spat out, even giving the man a bit of a kick on his back. The man remained unconscious.

Junhui wanted to weep at the fact that the person couldn't help him. Dongjin only continued to shove him down another flight of stairs.

They hadn't even taken more than five steps down when there was a loud cracking sound. It made Junhui jump, feeling wet drops of something land on the back of his neck.

Dongjin's grip on Junhui's arm loosened and the young prince almost screamed when Dongjin fell face-first down the flight of stairs, his unconscious body rolling down the rest of the way of the way until it stopped at another landing.

Junhui spun around in shock, staring at the man they just passed. He actually looked very sober, heavily breathing with the top part of a bottle grasped between his right hand--the rest of it was broken into shards when it hit the back of Dongjin's now bleeding head.

"You know who this guy is?" The stranger asked, looking at Junhui now.

"N-No. He and his group kidnapped me. I don't eve-even know how long ago."

"We don't have a lot of time." The man stepped down until he was on the same stair as Junhui. "I'll give you a choice. You can escape on your own, though I can't promise that you'll be able to make it far without the rest of his friends coming after you. Or, you can come with me. I'll get you somewhere safe just until you can contact your family and then we pretend we never saw each other. Take your pick."

It really wasn't a hard choice. Junhui didn't know this person, but he was more than willing to bet his life on his mystery savior.

"Lead the way."


	6. ♔ f i v e ♚

Jisoo couldn't remember feeling this devastated since the day of their parents' plane crash.

No matter how obvious it may be, he tried not to let it show. He needed to keep it together. Mostly because however bad he may feel now, it was clear that Jeonghan felt worse.

"It's all my fault, Jisoo," Jeonghan weeped openly into his younger brother's arms, his fingers gripping onto the fabric of Jisoo's white blazer. "I was the one who allowed him to go out that late. I was the one who let him go with only one guard. Now he's.. he's been kidnapped!  _He was taken from us!_ " Jeonghan's voice cracked in despair.

"It's not your fault," Jisoo felt his own voice wavering. "You couldn't have known, hyung."

"I could've stopped him from going out," Jeonghan hiccuped. "The first night he comes back to us and we lose him. I'm a terrible brother, Jisoo. How can I be fit to lead a whole country if I couldn't even protect our own brother?!"

Jisoo didn't stop rubbing circles onto Jeonghan's back, smoothing down his brown hair. "Jeonghan hyung, please stop talking like that. You're a great king, and an even better brother. Things like this are just beyond our control. Seungcheol hyung is gathering the castle guards to find out more information. We haven't lost Junhui yet, it's only been a day. Whoever took him couldn't have gotten far. We'll get him back."

Jeonghan lifted his head from where he had it buried in Jisoo's shoulder. It broke Jisoo's heart to see his hyung in such a state, his eyes were puffy and red with tears staining his cheeks. "What if they already hurt him, Soo-yah? What if they already hurt our Jun?"

"Junhui might be the youngest, but he's not a baby. He's smart, hyung. He'll know how to handle himself," Jisoo said, trying to convince both Jeonghan and himself.

Seungcheol chose that moment to make an appearance. Out of the three of them, Seungcheol looked the most collected. Though you could tell by the bags under his eyes that he hadn't slept at all last night, worrying about the young prince. He was followed by a man dressed in the navy blue uniform of the castle guards. The number of badges on his jacket made it obvious that he was of high-ranking.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness." Son Hyunwoo bowed deeply once he spotted Jeonghan and Jisoo, voice deep and smooth like honey. "I'm sorry for what happened with Prince Junhui. I am even more sorry for my incompetence, letting a man who had no relations to the castle guards fool our young prince into thinking he would be safe with him."

"You are not incompetent, Hyunwoo. You've done your job without fault. What happened was something none of us could've foreseen," Seungcheol reassured the man before making his way to sit beside his husband on the edge of their bed. "We found out who the imposter was, a man named Lay Dongjin. Apparently, he'd been working in the kitchens for a month before he disappeared with Junhui."

"Wait, I'm confused." Jisoo stepped closer, arms crossed and brows furrowed. "He worked in the kitchens?"

"One of my men told me someone from the kitchen offered him a drink. After that, he couldn't remember what happened for the rest of the evening. My guess is that this Lay Dongjin slipped in a sleep tonic and then stole a uniform from him before volunteering to accompany Prince Junhui," Hyunwoo explained. He remained standing tall in the middle of the room with his stoic face.

"How could this even happen?" Jeonghan ran a frustrated hand through his long hair, squeezing at the roots and shutting his eyes. "Didn't any of the other guards happen to notice a man they've never seen before walking around wearing a castle guard uniform? Didn't any of our security cameras pick up on what was happening that evening?"

"In the security tapes, this Dongjin knew every place one of our guards could have been posted at and avoided them as much as he could before he got to Junhui. I guess once he wore the uniform, everyone just turned a blind eye. When Junhui was finished talking to you, he ran into Dongjin. They talked for a few minutes then left together. Junhui hasn't been here long enough to know all the faces of our guards," Seungcheol said, frowning.

"He hasn't been here long at all," Jisoo found himself mumbling as he felt the sting in his eyes. He looked up, taking deep breaths to calm himself before he faced Hyunwoo. "What's our next move, then? Has there been any calls or letters about a ransom?"

"If I may give my honest opinion, Your Highness, I don't think this is about money." Hyunwoo's eyes gazed down with a look of deep concentration. "How the kidnapping happened and the timing of it all.. it just seems too complex. Everything was well thought out."

"What do you mean by that, Hyunwoo-nim?" Jeonghan sniffled before standing up just then. Seungcheol followed, looking like he already knew what Hyunwoo was talking about. Jisoo guessed that it might've been what they discussed about before they came here.

Hyunwoo took a few steps closer to where they were. "My king, your family had taken the proper measurements to ensure Prince Junhui's safety ever since he was a child. You kept him hidden from the public because our law stated that no royal family member should be shown until they reached the proper age. But before he could do so, the young prince left to go study herbal medicine. You continued to keep his identity hidden so that he wouldn't be in any danger there, the only man who knew who he truly was happened to be his teacher, who was an old friend of your father. Prince Junhui's real name isn't common knowledge, it's forbidden to share his real name to those who are not authorized by you. There had been no pictures of him shared to the public either. To know how Prince Junhui looks like now, it would have to be plotted by someone in this castle."

Jisoo caught on quickly, dread pooling in his stomach at the possibility of what Hyunwoo was implying. "You mean to tell us that not only was Junhui kidnapped, but it's a possibility that there could be spies in our castle who've been planning this kidnapping ever since we were given the news that Junhui would come home after his graduation?"

"We only found out about the dates of his graduation and return home a month ago," Seungcheol spoke up. "But the plan to establish a partnership with the Wolgwang Kingdom we've been planning for nearly three months now."

Jeonghan looked taken aback. "This is about our alliance with the Wolgwang Kingdom? How does Junhui fit into all of this? He wasn't even here when we started talking about it with our court!"

"Somebody doesn't want us to go through with it," Jisoo thought out loud.

Hyunwoo nodded at that. "If there are spies in this castle right now, they would know about the plans to officially introduce Prince Junhui to the public the moment we arrive at Wolgwang Kingdom. This is also the perfect excuse to get you to remain in Ilgwang."

"Well, then let's just stay here?" Jisoo suggested. "Let's delay the travel to Wolgwang, I'm sure King Mingyu would understand if we just told him what happened. Let whoever took Junhui think they're getting what they want."

Jeonghan, who had been in deep thought, shook his head at the idea. "No, we can't do that."

Jisoo wasn't the only one who was shocked. Seungcheol and Hyunwoo looked like they weren't expecting that either. "What?  _Why?_  Hannie, Hyunwoo and I have talked about it. We're going to explain to King Mingyu our situation, then we'll announce to everyone that the alliance with Wolgwang would not push through. Nobody but us would know that it'll only be temporary until we found Junhui."

"Jeonghan hyung, I know you're stressed and your mind's a little—"

"My mind is working fine, Jisoo," Jeonghan sighed as he started pacing. His suit looked quite untidy and his hair laid limp on his head. It's the most haggard Jisoo's seen him in a while. "You can't be sure that these kidnappers would hand Junhui back just like that. If they spent all this trouble to take him, they're not going to let him go easily. We can't let them think they have power over us."

"If we go against them, they  _will_  harm Jun." Seungcheol placed his hands on his husband's shoulders, causing Jeonghan to stop in his tracks and look Seungcheol in the eye. "Jeonghan-ah, We can't risk it. We have to play along. Your brother's life is on the line."

The two kings stared at one another for a moment, trying to see who would break first. Jeonghan simply averted his gaze to Hyunwoo. "Captain Son Hyunwoo, I have a better idea."

"A  _better_  idea?" Jisoo couldn't help but be curious, and maybe a little annoyed. "What could be a better idea than giving them what they want so we can have our Jun back safe and sound?"

Jeonghan gave Seungcheol a gentle smile before removing his husband's hands off his shoulders. Jeonghan ushered for the three of them to follow him to where his desk was, Hyunwoo following the king immediately.

Seungcheol and Jisoo shared a concerned look before they both headed over to where Jeonghan was scribbling down his  _plan_  on a stack of paper.


	7. ♔ s i x ♚

Wonwoo woke up to music playing loudly from the kitchen, the sound accompanied by the smell of breakfast passing through the open door of his bedroom. 

The situation was nothing new to him. 

Years of living with two roommates gave you great practice for tolerance. In fact, Wonwoo might've gone back to sleep right then and there, if only someone hadn't began knocking. 

"Hyung!" Vernon called out, making his voice a little louder than normal because of the music. "Breakfast is almost done, wanna grab a bite before you head off?"

It took a moment of Wonwoo huffing into his pillow and then stretching his arms over his head before he was able to drag his body up into a sitting position. He blinked at Vernon, rubbing his eyes as the younger male waited patiently for a reply. "What time did you get back?" Wonwoo asked with his raspy morning voice, eyeing the sheen black shirt and tight denim pants his roommate was wearing.

"Around four," Vernon replied. 

Wonwoo grabbed his phone from under his pillow and saw that it was ten past six. He had almost an hour before he needed to get going. "You haven't slept since you arrived?"

"I'll sleep later." Vernon waved a hand dismissively. He walked further into Wonwoo's room, suddenly pulling the curtains of the window open and letting in more sunlight. Wonwoo's eyes, which still hadn't fully opened, suddenly shut close again. "I don't know why you insist in keeping your room so dark. It's good to get some sunshine, hyung." 

Wonwoo blinked at him. "You work in a nightclub, Vernon-ah." 

Vernon seemed to ignore what Wonwoo said, picking up some stray pieces of clothing and books on Wonwoo's floor and placing it on top of a set of drawers. Wonwoo's room wasn't that messy. In fact out of all the rooms in their apartment his room, with its various posters of characters and stacks of papers and books in almost every surface, his was the neatest. Vernon was probably just trying to keep active so he wouldn't start feeling sleepy just yet.

"Chan's almost done with breakfast. He said he needs to leave earlier than usual, he's asking if he could catch a ride with you." 

"Yeah, yeah. Sure." The yawn from Wonwoo's mouth was loud. After a quick fix of his bed, both he and Vernon entered the kitchen, the smell of cooking oil and bacon grease filling the small space. 

"Morning, hyung!" Chan beamed at Wonwoo, spatula in hand. He was wearing the ratty pink apron they've had since Wonwoo moved in. "Look, I made breakfast." The youngest of the trio gestured to the stove in front of him where he was frying pieces of bacon and scrambled eggs.

Wonwoo made his way to the stereo on the kitchen counter, turning down the volume of the fast pop song playing. "Yes, Chan, I'll take you to work," He mumbled once his eardrums weren't being assaulted. He eyed the food as his stomach started to grumble. Chan made a face that was between smiling and pouting. "That wasn't why I made breakfast, but thank you." Vernon had already set out the plates and utensils on their small dining table. 

Wonwoo was not a morning person. His two roommates knew this fact very well, so breakfast was filled with quiet chatter mostly between Vernon and Chan. After having a few sips of coffee, Wonwoo then began to add his own comments here and there. His mood brightened when Vernon gave him an extra piece of bacon. 

Showering in the morning helped Wonwoo feel more awake, which was why he chose to do so before leaving for work. Wonwoo stepped out of the only bathroom in the apartment, dark hair still wet but combed through and with a towel around his waist. Back in his room, he dressed in denim jeans and a plain white shirt. Faintly, he could hear Chan outside, asking if Vernon had seen his sneakers anywhere. Wonwoo knew the youngest would find it either under the sofa or near the front door.

"We'll see you later, hyung!" Chan waved goodbye to Vernon as he and Wonwoo stepped outside. Vernon had been looking more tired as the minutes went by, which again, was nothing out of the ordinary. Right now, as Vernon was seeing off his two roommates, his eyelids had began to droop. Wonwoo adjusted the messenger bag that hung from his shoulder as he said, "Shower before you sleep, okay? You still reek of that place." If you looked closely, there were even bits of glitter on Vernon's hair. 

"Got it. I'll be sure to make dinner for all of us before I leave tonight. Bye, Wonu hyung. Bye, Chan," He grinned before closing the door. Wonwoo waited until he heard the lock click into place before they started walking down several flights of stairs to get to the garage.

"Do you think it's healthy for Vernon hyung to always sleep throughout the day and then stay awake all night?" 

Wonwoo pondered for a moment. "The only real downside I can think of is the lack of Vitamin D. His social life's not affected, obviously. He's got us and his friends at the club."

"Whenever I stay late at the studio, I feel really drowsy and weak the next morning. I don't regret doing it, but doesn't Vernon hyung feel that way all the time?"

"I think his body is used to it now." They reached the basement garage. Wonwoo spotted the maroon delivery van he drove for a living, taking out his keys while he continued to reply, "Also, Vernon enjoys working there. It's like how you enjoy teaching dance at your studio."

Wonwoo and Chan got into the driver and passenger's seat respectively. There was a moment of silence as Wonwoo turned the engine on. Chan spoke up once the air-conditioning and the radio were working. "Do you enjoy driving a delivery van, hyung?"

Again, Wonwoo had to think about what to reply. "It's not bad. I get to meditate a lot."

"You ever thought of trying to become a writer?"

"So many questions." Wonwoo made a tsk tsk noise as he started backing out of his parking space. "You're quite lively today, aren't you?"

"Just making conversation," Chan said with a smile.

The two of them continued on talking until Wonwoo dropped Chan off at the dance studio the younger boy worked at. "What time do you think you'll head home, hyung?" Chan asked, unbuckling his seatbelt. Wonwoo shrugged in response. "Around four, maybe. Depends how many deliveries they have for me today." 

"Give me a call, maybe we'll get done with work at the same time." Chan's grin made Wonwoo smile, watching the boy hop out of the van's passenger seat and wave goodbye.

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own the group SEVENTEEN, that much is obvious. The story is mine, any similarity to other stories is purely coincidental. Do not attempt to replicate/publish anywhere else. Votes and comments are always appreciated. :-)
> 
> Love, Tee.


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